Introducing Mrs Lamb
by siriusly cool48
Summary: He didn't remember saying "I do," he only remembered meaning it, and meaning it with all his heart. He would sometimes recall how she smiled and said it in return, but it might have been his imagination.


**Hey guys! Sorry I've been so inactive in this fandom for a while, Harry Potter and Modern Family have been taking up all my time, those jerks. I'm excited to publish this fic, because it stems slightly from my other story _Cast and Crew_, and I have more ideas for Joe/Alice and also some for Cary and Charles. If you want me to write something for another character and have some idea of what you'd like to see, I love suggestions! Just shoot me a PM! Anyway, I don't own anything. Except a Norman Rockwell 2011 calendar. Oh yeah.**

OOOOOOO

Joe nervously straightened his tie for what seemed the hundredth time. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat and moved his hand to pick at the small nick on his neck from where he had shaved this morning.

A hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. "Chill." Joe looked up to see Charles, also dressed in formal attire, shaking his head.

Joe sighed in anxiety. "I'm so nervous, man."

Charles chuckled. "Really? I couldn't tell." He stuck out his tongue as Joe glared at him.

"You're lucky you're the best man or I'd probably have killed you by now." Joe groaned.

Charles grinned and let his hand drop to his side. "You're just lucky I'm here, or _you'd_ probably be dead. You almost slit your throat shaving this morning, and you would have tripped down those stairs if I hadn't told you to tie your shoes." Charles crossed his arms in defiance.

"Don't wrinkle the suit!" Both of the men looked up to see Mrs. Kaznyk bustling up the aisle to give one last pep-talk before the procession started. She pulled Charles' arms down and licked her thumb, rubbing an imaginary spot away from his cheek.

"Mom! Geez, get off!" he brushed her off, wiping away the spit. Joe smiled, his nerves momentarily forgotten.

"I still say you're much too young. Still boys, practically."

Almost before they were gone, the nerves were back. Joe knew she wasn't directly talking to him, she was just making her disapproval known.

"Nineteen isn't all that young, at least we're out of high school." Joe tried to point out the silver lining.

"Yeah, plus everyone knows Joe and Alice are meant to be together. Why wait? These two kids will make it work." Charles looked proudly at his best friend.

Joe nodded, accepting Charles' praise. As Mrs. Kaznyk waddled back to her seat, his mind wandered. They had all come so far in the last five years. He and Alice, obviously, had stayed together. Sure, they'd had their share of fights, but they had both come back to each other in the end. Alice's acting career was taking off, and after graduation she had come home from California as often as she could between shootings. Joe's father was still the same hardworking man he had been before, and today he sat in the front row, probably thinking about his wife and their own wedding, twenty years earlier.

Charles and Joe had gone to the same school, he for art and Charles for film, but had become even closer friends in the process. Cary had gone through some hard times, his heart broken and his feet knocked out from under him, which sobered him up quite a bit. He was different, but sometimes the old Cary emerged for a while. Like today. Just earlier Joe had seen him flirting with one of the bridesmaids, and she had seemed to be falling for his charms. Joe shook his head with a smile.

Looking into the crowd, Joe saw Preston and Martin sitting, talking animatedly, supposedly catching up after all these years. Martin had moved to France

the summer of 1980, and Preston had drifted away from the group, and by the time of graduation they were simply acquaintances. But that seemed to be changing now, with the whole gang together in one place.

Joe was startled out of his reverie by a hand on his shoulder. He looked _up_ into the face of Cary (he had grown quite a lot since 1979), who was smiling at Joe.

"Ready, Lamb?" Joe nodded and took a deep breath. Cary returned to his spot as a groomsman next to Charles, and the music began to play.

The procession was a whir to Joe; he didn't care about anything except one face. It seemed ages, but soon she was there. Beautiful as he had imagined, she was dressed in a white gown with flowers sparkling in her hair. Her father's teary eyes never left her as he proudly walked his daughter down the aisle.

Just as they reached him and Mr. Dainard cautiously released his grip on his daughter, Joe did something he hadn't planned on doing, but he didn't regret at all. He seized his soon-to-be father-in-law in a hug, saying everything he needed to without words.

_Thank you, Louis Dainard. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for giving me your daughter and letting her share my home. Thank you for being here for her, even though sometimes I wished it had been my mother instead. Thank you for taking care for her; now let me do the same._

Joe released the man and turned to his daughter, smiling and taking her hands instead. He nodded at the minister, signaling him to begin.

"Dear friends, we are gathered here today..."

Later, Joe would not remember the man's speech, he only remembered staring at the love of his life, beautiful and radiant, standing before him, letting him stare and staring back. It was amazing to Joe that she had actually chosen him, and he doubted that he would ever wrap his mind fully around it.

He didn't remember saying "I do," he only remembered meaning it, and meaning it with all his heart. He would sometimes recall how she smiled and said it in return, but it might have been his imagination.

He remembered the minister smiling and saying, "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride," and Alice leaping into Joe's arms. He remembered the wolf whistles from his friends, but mostly he had just been focused on Alice.

They pulled away, only to breathe. Joe smiled the most genuine smile he had in a long time. "I don't think we've met. I'm Joe Lamb." He stuck out his hand for her to shake.

She took it, her eyes lighting up. "My name is Alice Lamb."

With one more peek at the celebrating crowd, Joe turned to his new wife. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Lamb."

And the congregation continued to clap.


End file.
